SHIFT NC Announces Traci L. Baird As New Chief Executive Officer

After an extensive nationwide search, SHIFT NC has selected Traci L. Baird as its next Chief Executive Officer. Traci will join the organization on October 2nd.

Paula Hildebrand, SHIFT NC’s board chair and a member of the hiring committee, expressed the board’s confidence in the hiring decision. “Traci has an incredible depth and breadth of experience that makes her an expert in strategic visioning, organizational development, fund development, public speaking, board development, and team building. We feel very strongly that she will be the perfect leader to guide the next phase of our work.”

Traci has extensive leadership experience in public health, including more than 22 years designing and leading programs on international reproductive and sexual health at Ipas. As Executive Vice President for Programs at Ipas, Traci oversaw more than 400 staff around the globe and grew the program budget to more than $40 million. Traci has volunteered on nonprofit boards in the US and overseas. Her background also includes an undergraduate degree in Human Biology with a focus on women’s health from Stanford and a Master of Public Health in Health Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Traci expressed her excitement to join SHIFT NC. “I am honored to join SHIFT NC as the CEO and as a partner to its board and staff. Sexual health matters immensely, and I am pleased to bring my experience and energy to an organization working on this critical issue in North Carolina. The staff and board give me great confidence in the organization and our collective ability to do truly amazing things for adolescents and the people and institutions that support them.”

Traci will take the helm at SHIFT NC following a year under the leadership of Interim CEO Janeen Gingrich. Along with the board, both Janeen Gingrich and Jeanine Falcon, SHIFT NC’s HR consultant, will help facilitate Traci’s transition into the organization.